Loose leaf binders



E. D. DUDLEY-SMITH 2,924,221

LOOSE LEAF BINDERS Feb. 9, 1960' Filed Jan. 21, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 //VVE.D 71 5. D. 0004 E Y- SM T Feb. 9, 1960 E. D. DUDLEY-SMITH 2,924,221

LOOSE LEAF BINDER-S Filed Jan. 21, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V1//VTOR 1:. 0, 0001.53 SM/ TH 1785- 1960 E. D. DUDLEY-SMITH 2,924,221

LOOSE LEAF BINDERS Filed Jan. 21, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent LOOSE LEAF BINDERS Edward DudleyDudley-Smith, London, England Application January 21, 1958, Serial No. 710,229

1 Claim. (Cl. 129-10) The present invention relates to loose leaf binders of the kind comprising a stationary strip or bar adapted to be secured to the cover of a folder or the equivalent, and a relatively movable strip or bar which is pivoted to one end of the stationary bar or strip for swinging movement away from the stationary bar, the two bars being fitted with arcuate posts which co-act when the bars are closed a H together to form closed loops. When the loops are opened by swinging the movable bar, papers which are suitably perforated along their edges, can .be added to or removed and the loops subsequently closed to prevent unintentional separation of the papers from the folder or the like.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved loose leaf. binder of the kind referred to, which is of a compact nature so as to be of a minimum thickness so as not to add materially to thethickness of the folder to which it is fitted and the papers therein, and

which also comprises fastening means for releasably abut when they are closed together so that both strips or bars are contained in the same plane and are not superimposed one upon the other, and wherein the free or outer end of the movable bar is formed with a lateral extension directed towards the associated end of the fixed bar and the latter formed with a raised portion beneath which the lateral extension of the movable bar may be engaged, .the lateral extension being provided or formed with 'a locking nose which co-acts with the raised portion of the fixed bar whenthe lateral extension is engaged thereunder to lock the two bars releasably together. 7

According to one embodiment the underface of the raised portion of the fixed bar is formed with a recess for accommodating a locking nose provided on the upper face of the lateral extension. In this embodiment the lockingnose does not" protrude beyond the side edge of the raised portion. p

Alternatively, the said locking nose may comprise a lug extending at right angles'from said lateral extension in parallelism with the raise'dportion and the face which contacts the edges of the raised portion is tapered or chamfered to provide a-. cam surface which will ride easily under the edges of the raised portion to facilitate 'opening apart and closing together of the two bars.

With this alternative arrangement, when closing the movable bar, it is swung about its pivot towards the fixed bar and the locking nose with said lateral extension will pass under the raised end of the fixed bar and when the locking nose has passed completely under the raised portion, the lateral extension will spring up under the infiuence of the inherent resiliency of the material of the bars against the underside of the raised end of the fixed 2,924,221 Patented Feb. 9, 1960 ice bar with the side face of the locking nose in engagement with the side edge of the raised portion opposite to the edge of the fixed bar which is abutted by the edge of the swingable bar. To release the fastening the locking nose is pushed sideways and slides under the raised portion of the fixed arm whereupon the, movable arm can be swung away from the fixed arm to' permit the addition or removal of papers to or from the folder.

The foregoing arrangements provide anextremely flat construction which would not be achieved if the fastening comprised two interlocking ball boosters provided one respectively 'on each of the two bars. The fastening of the present invention also has the advantage that the interlocking portions can be fashioned out of the associated ends of the bars whereas in the case of ball boosters these would have to be welded to the ends of the bars and would have to be made very small in order to clear the leaves of the folder in normal use.

Thus, the present invention provides a loose leaf binder which avoids the use of overlapping bars so thatthe thickness thereof can be kept to a minimum, and in addition provides a very flat form of locking means.

According to a stillfurther modification, the locking nose may be formed by rolling the free end of the lateral extension into a spiral or scroll formation.

To enable the invention to be clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example' with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein a 1 Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of one embodiment.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a front perspective view.

Figure 4 is an end view.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, drawn to a larger scale, illustrating a second embodiment, with the bars opened apart.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line VIVI of Figure 5 but showing the bars closed.

Figure 7 is a view ismilar to Figure 5 but illustrating a modification.

Figure 8 is a section taken on the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7 but showing the bars closed.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figures 5 and 7 illustrating a fourth embodiment.

Figure 10 is a section taken on the line X-X of Figure 9 but showing the bars closed.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 9 illustrating an emaodiment intended to be made of a plastic material, an

Figure 12 is a section taken on the line XIIXII of Figure 11.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the loose leaf binder comprises two flat bars or strips 1 and 2 which are pivoted together at one of their ends as at 3 so that they can be opened apart or closed together so centres offset slightly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bar so that said bosses or lugs are directed slightly to one side of the bar so that the two lugs 5 of the two bars 1 and 2 will seat nicely one upon the other with the axis thereof in line with the meeting edges of said bars.

In other words the lugs can be said to be eccentrically disposed. 

